Pleasant Endings
by Icy Doodles
Summary: Inuyasha is presented with the opportunity to spend a single day in his mate's past. It is difficult for Inuyasha to picture a young version of Sesshomaru. And even more difficult for him to cope with what he discovers. (This story contains no shota whatsoever and is purely brotherly and romantic.)


Inuyasha had been waiting weeks for this day. He'd gotten everything set up so it could happen while Sesshomaru was off on a customary visit to some other lord. The hanyou was going to get to see a day of his daiyoukai brother's past. It involved more magic than he wanted to think about, so Inuyasha didn't fully understand how it was going work. He only knew it was a guaranteed spell—that he'd yet to tell his mate about… Sesshomaru wouldn't get mad at him though. At least, he hoped the youkai wouldn't.

Not wanting to put it off any longer, the hanyou trekked to one of the rooms on the lower levels of he and Sesshomaru's home where he was to meet with the sorcerer. He couldn't help but wonder… Had his brother always been a dick? Or would he get to see the youkai act like a normal kid might? Inuyasha had no idea and he couldn't wait to see.

* * *

Ears still ringing, Sesshomaru sat on the floor behind his bed, his face pressed firmly into the side of the mattress. Both hands were clenched in the sheet where the smooth fabric had slid down from the bed some. He always did this when he wanted to hide from the door, which was all the way across the room from where he cowered. He glanced down at his arm with wet eyes. It hurt. He was pretty sure the edge of a broken plate had hit him, but he could not be sure. He'd made a run for it. He knew running would get him into trouble later, but he didn't care. He had to escape the yelling, the ferocity, the looks of disgust. He had to let his tears fall.

When his father was gone, it was like this. When his father was gone, Sesshomaru was alone with her. Sesshomaru had learned long ago that it did not matter who saw. He knew of the fear shown to those with great power. No one would dare say anything. No one would dare protect him.

After a while, when no sound came from the door, Sesshomaru shakily got up onto his knees and peered across the room. It looked safe. His breath shaky, Sesshomaru wiped his eyes and nose on the sleeve of his kimono and stood. Peering out the nearest window, he realized the moon was already high in the sky. He was tired and drained, but he knew he would not be able to sleep. So, instead, he made a fire. For a while, he was content to sit and enjoy it. Though, eventually, he tired of sitting on his cold floor in his empty room. With a sigh, Sesshomaru got up again, an idea forming in his head. He grabbed a pillow from his bed and threw it in front of the fire. After that, he grabbed another pillow and tore it open, letting the feathers fall free. In his closet he found his longest kimono and ripped off the sleeves. Sitting by the fire again, the young youkai set to work stuffing the sleeves with feathers before tying off each end. When that was done, he quickly, and without much care, sewed the stuffed sleeves onto both long edges of the fairly large pillow. Satisfied, Sesshomaru picked it up and plopped it down into a chair. After another glance at the door, Sesshomaru crawled up into the chair and curled against the pillow. It was still warm from being by the fire. He tried to imagine it was the heat of another youkai as he rubbed his face against it. When he was comfortable, Sesshomaru took hold of the pillow's attached arms and wrapped them around himself. Tucking his cold feet under the bottom of the pillow, Sesshomaru moved to nuzzle an arm.

"I love you too," he mumbled into the soft fabric before fresh tears began to fall.

* * *

It seemed like he only blinked before he was relocated to an entirely different time and a vaguely familiar place. The scent of whatever potion crap Inuyasha had to drink lingered, along with the smoke from the burnt herbs the sorcerer used, but on top of that… The hanyou was quickly able to realize he was in the palace he lived in with Sesshomaru, but a newer version of it. It had worked!

Eagerly, he scented the air, searching for his brother. It was a little more difficult to identify than he thought it would be-some other youkai's scent was all over the place. And it wasn't anyone the hanyou knew, so he tried to avoid it's source. It wasn't until Inuyasha was standing in front of the door that he was sure would lead to the younger version of his brother that he realized this was also the door, many years in the future, that would lead to the chambers he shared with Sesshomaru as mates.

Wearing a grin, Inuyasha opened the door without pausing to think. But his grin turned into a frown as he stepped inside the room and noticed a distinct lack of character. The room was decorated, but sparsely and everything matched a certain color scheme. It was not at all like the room he'd slept in… The bed—shit, that was tiny. At least compared to the giant, super-plush monstrosity that the Sesshomaru he knew coveted.

The decorations and the bed didn't draw the hanyou's attention for much longer though. Not when he finally caught sight of a small form in a large chair. Moving closer, Inuyasha knew the kid curled into what looked to be the lap of a make-shift pillow doll was his brother. His joy at finding Sesshomaru was short-lived when he crouched just in front of the chair though. The little youkai's cheeks were red. The color was faint, granted, but it was still there. And, there were feathers strewn about this half of the room… It made the hanyou worry, enough so that when he reached out to lightly run his thumb over Sesshomaru's cheek, the movement was not entirely conscious.

* * *

There was a presence. The half-asleep youkai knew there was, but he was not yet awake enough to tell the difference between a dream and reality. Something warm touched his cheek. The sensation was...unfamiliar. But soft. Sesshomaru's nose wrinkled and sniffed, an unknown scent alerting his senses and jarring him awake. His eyes snapped open to find another pair of golden eyes staring down at him. Sesshomaru gasped and pressed himself back against the arm of the chair only to topple over it and hit the floor due to his sleepy reflexes.

* * *

"Whoa, easy—" Inuyasha stood, but didn't catch the chair or his brother in time to stop their fall. "Hey, you okay?" Carefully, he pulled the toppled chair away from the youkai so he could move closer, crouching as he inspected his brother: tousled hair, messy kimono, and all. The sight, and Sesshomaru's previous fumbling, coaxed a small smile to the hanyou's lips.

* * *

Sesshomaru scrambled to sit up and move his hair out of his face so he could see. Eyes wide, the youkai looked the crouching figure up and down. Whoever it was wore bright red robes, had hair as long as his own, and had animal ears on top of his head. Sesshomaru had no idea what kind of youkai it was or what it was doing in his room. Maybe he was still dreaming. "Who are you?" Sesshomaru asked, trying to sound dignified despite his startled appearance.

* * *

"Name's Inuyasha, I'm—" The hanyou realized belatedly that he wasn't entirely sure telling little Sesshomaru that he was his brother was a good idea. "Shit, um… Yeah—just call me Inuyasha."

* * *

Sesshomaru nodded and straightened his clothes. The youkai tilted his head, wondering why this strange person was so friendly and informal. "You sound like a servant... What are you doing here—who gave you permission to come in here?"

* * *

"Keh, I ain't no servant." Inuyasha rolled his eyes and poked his brother's nose with a smirk. "So don't go thinkin' you can treat me like one."

* * *

Sesshomaru's mouth opened in surprise when the weird youkai touched his nose. He had no idea what to make of this behavior. No one treated him with that kind of familiarity. So instead of reacting to it, he simply stood up and took a couple of steps back. "If you are not a servant... Then why are you here?"

* * *

"I, uh…" Scratching at one of his flicking ears, Inuyasha shrugged before offering a bit of the truth. "I came 'cause I wanted to see ya."

* * *

The youkai's face grew confused. "Me? How do you know who I am?" He'd never had any visitors before...

* * *

"Well…" Inuyasha had never been one for coming up with something plausible on the spot, he knew this quite well. He only hoped little Sesshomaru was somewhat like the Sesshomaru he'd dealt with. "Well—who wouldn't want to come see you?" The hanyou reached out, ruffling the youkai's hair with a smile. "The soon-to-be-Great Sesshomaru-sama."

* * *

Sesshomaru scrunched up his forehead when his hair was suddenly and a bit roughly ruffled. But a smile slowly spread across his face at Inuyasha's words. "Oh." 'The Great Sesshomaru-sama?' Sesshomaru nodded, deciding he liked the brightly colored youkai. "Fortunately for you I should be unoccupied for most of the day. What is it you want from me?"

* * *

"I just wanna...you know, hang out."

* * *

"'Hang out?' How do you do that?" Sesshomaru hoped that was not a stupid question.

* * *

"Oh, um…" Inuyasha cocked his head as bit as he frowned at the question. It made sense for the youkai to be socially inept at this age too, he supposed. "Jus' spend time together, have fun, ya know—that kind of stuff."

* * *

Fun? "You are..." Fingers clasped, Sesshomaru looked at Inuyasha with large golden eyes. "You are here to _play_ with me?"

* * *

"Yeah," Inuyasha nodded. "If that's what ya wanna do, that's fine by me." The hanyou was pretty sure watching Sesshomaru—at any age—try to play would be amusing.

* * *

Sesshomaru grinned. "Really? That's—wait." The youkai's smile vanished, his face becoming suspicious. "This is not some sort of trick, is it?" Sesshomaru crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes as he stared at Inuyasha, not knowing if he would be able to tell if the youkai was lying but determined to try anyway. No one had ever tried to trick him with a promise of play. But there was a first for everything he supposed.

* * *

Eyebrows raised, Inuyasha couldn't help but smile. It never was easy to gain the youkai's trust it seemed. But Sesshomaru's question gave him an idea… Why not play a little trick on the youkai? Wiping as much expression from his face as he could, Inuyasha sighed and nodded. "You got me."

* * *

Sesshomaru blinked, completely taken off guard. "I did? I mean—of course I did." The youkai backed up further and raised his arms in a fighting position. "If you wish to take me it will not be easy."

* * *

Inuyasha mimicked the youkai and edged closer, trying to look mean. But, Kami, he'd never seen his brother like this and Sesshomaru's determined face and little stature made it near impossible to keep up the charade.

"We'll see about that," the hanyou growled before lunging at his brother and scooping up the little thing that was Sesshomaru. Grinning, Inuyasha heaved the youkai over shoulder, enjoying the advantages he had over Sesshomaru for once. "Gotcha now."

* * *

Unable to get away from the surprisingly quick youkai, Sesshomaru yelped when he was grabbed and thrown over a thick shoulder. "Unhand me, beast!" Sesshomaru beat Inuyasha's back furiously.

* * *

'Beast' wasn't a common name grown Sesshomaru called him and Inuyasha couldn't help but laugh. Grinning, he held Sesshomaru's legs with one hand and used his other to tickle the youkai's sides and underarms, being mindful of his claws as he answered with another growl, "Never!"

* * *

"Hey—" Sesshomaru gasped, unable to help the squeal that left his mouth when his body was suddenly attacked by a sensation that caused him to laugh and flail uncontrollably. "Sto-stop!" Sesshomaru had to draw in fast, deep breaths just to be able to speak without laughing. "_Please_!" Held upside down, blood rushed to his head making him feel dizzy.

* * *

After getting a few flying fists to the head and almost a few feet too, Inuyasha gave the youkai a reprieve and plopped him on his back on the bed. He waited for Sesshomaru to catch his breath, standing beside the bed, smiling.

* * *

Breathing hard, Sesshomaru gripped the bedding, his head lolling to the side, and gave Inuyasha and absolutely appalled look. "I do not...understand." He took another deep breath. "Are you some kind of sorcerer?"

* * *

"Really? That's your logic?" Inuyasha sat down beside Sesshomaru with a shrug. "Guess I shouldn't be too surprised," he muttered. "But no, I ain't a sorcerer. I just tickled ya."

* * *

With a glare, Sesshomaru sat up and tried to regain his dignity by retaining his perfect posture. He could not believe he'd succumbed so easily to this youkai's tricks... "Why would you do that?" Inuyasha was too difficult to figure out. He did not know whether this youkai was dangerous or just a fool.

* * *

"To get you to laugh."

* * *

Sesshomaru drew up his legs and wrapped his arms around them. "You are strange."

* * *

"So are you," the hanyou responded, nudging Sesshomaru's shoulder. "Was it fun?"

* * *

"No," said Sesshomaru flatly.

* * *

"Always so negative," sighed Inuyasha before he stood and wiped imaginary somethings off his clothes. "Guess I'll just leave then." He started for the door.

* * *

"Hmph." Sesshomaru's chin dropped onto his knees as he watched Inuyasha turn to go. He was going to let the youkai walk out the door. He really was. But then his hand reached out to grab at nothing. "Wait..." His voice was unsure.

* * *

Inuyasha was glad when Sesshomaru stopped him. He hadn't wanted to leave. Turning back around to fully face his brother, he offered a smile. "Yeah?"

* * *

"You...really do not have any bad intentions?"

* * *

"Nope, I don't. I promise."

* * *

Sesshomaru nodded. "Who else knows you are here?" mumbled the youkai into his knees.

* * *

Inuyasha took their continued conversation as incentive to reclaim his place on the bed as he answered. "No one as far as I know. Why?"

* * *

"No one?" Sesshomaru smiled a little, an idea forming in his head. "Can I keep you a secret?" If no one knew he was playing with a strange youkai, everything would be fine.

* * *

"Heh, sure." Inuyasha nudged the youkai's shoulder again. "That's fine by me."

* * *

Sesshomaru looked at Inuyasha gratefully. It seemed this animal-eared youkai would do just about anything he asked. Within reason, he was sure. But somehow Inuyasha seemed out to please him. Before he could think of anything he wanted to do, his stomach growled loudly. Sesshomaru frowned at it, realizing he hadn't eaten the night before.

* * *

Laughing, Inuyasha stood and gestured for Sesshomaru to do the same. "Let's get you some food first, hm?"

* * *

Sesshomaru followed suit and stood but gestured for Inuyasha to stay where he was. "Wait, not here. We will...go outside and get food. Out the window."

* * *

"Oh, right." It was kind of fun being kept a secret by little Sesshomaru, Inuyasha decided as he moved to the window checking to make sure no one was around before exiting.

* * *

Just as he was about to follow Inuyasha out the window, Sesshomaru paused, realizing he was still in yesterday's kimono. But then he shook his head, deciding it was not that important, and exited the room through his window. He was glad to find no one wandering around on this side of the palace, which also conveniently had an abundance of trees. "Do you like fish, Inuyasha?"

* * *

"Yeah, I take it we're heading to the river?" Inuyasha had nearly been tempted to lift Sesshomaru out of the window, but he figured the youkai wouldn't take too kindly to that.

* * *

"Mhm." Sesshomaru nodded happily. "Follow me." Feeling very much like an adult and possibly like the Great Sesshomaru-sama Inuyasha told him he would be, Sesshomaru began leading the way to the river. He was not permitted to go there alone, but Inuyasha was with him. So Inuyasha did not need to know.

* * *

"Yes, sir," the hanyou said with a smirk as he started tromping after his brother. He couldn't help but notice the youkai's gait was more relaxed than when he was older. It might even be easier to figure out Sesshomaru's emotions... Today was just too good.

* * *

Instead of continuing to walk in front of Inuyasha, Sesshomaru eventually grew bored and fell into step with him. "I really enjoy hunting for fish. My father taught me," Sesshomaru informed Inuyasha with pride.

* * *

Inuyasha smiled, looking down at the youkai. "Yeah? Seems like a good guy. Is, uh... Is he around?"

* * *

Smile fading, Sesshomaru shook his head. "He is away. I do not know when he will be back..."

* * *

"Oh, okay." It was probably better that the old man wasn't around. Inuyasha didn't want to have to try to explain who he was to Sesshomaru _and_ the father he'd never met. That would make this visit much too complicated. "So who's around then?"

* * *

"My mother stays with me when he goes away."

* * *

The hanyou nodded, though he didn't know much about Sesshomaru's mother. The youkai he knew didn't say much about her, but now seemed like a good time to learn something about his mate's mother. "What's she like?"

* * *

After glancing over at Inuyasha who was looking at him, Sesshomaru turned his eyes back to the path ahead, images from the night before flashing through his mind. He kicked a stone. "My mother is...powerful. Almost as strong as my father. She teaches me to fight."

* * *

Inuyasha nodded, trying to keep his gaze on Sesshomaru as they walked. He didn't think the youkai was lying to him... But there seemed to be something more. "The old man is pretty strong too, guess that means you're gonna be double powerful," he said with an encouraging smile. "What else does your ma do?"

* * *

Sesshomaru smiled back at Inuyasha though he did not know how he could ever be stronger than his father or even be as strong. It seemed impossible. "My mother, um... She teaches me how to be a youkai." Sesshomaru skipped ahead a little when the river was in his sights. "What about _your_ mother? What is she like?"

* * *

"My mother? Well... She's, she's dead now. But she was kind." Inuyasha's smiled dimmed a little, turning more nostalgic. "I still miss her."

* * *

"She died?" Sesshomaru stopped and turned to look at Inuyasha, his eyes regretful. Inuyasha was saddened by the death of his mother who was kind. Sesshomaru had never liked the idea of things dying. He had seen things go from living to lifeless and wet with blood. He used to close his eyes. But he wasn't allowed to anymore. Death was something he was supposed to grow accustomed to. Sesshomaru reached out and took the end of Inuyasha's long sleeve, not really knowing what to say when this kind of thing was talked about. "Was she strong..?"

* * *

"Yeah," Inuyasha smiled, "She was." Wanting to lighten the mood, he bent and picked up his brother, setting the youkai on his shoulders. "Whadya say I throw ya in the river?" Questioned the hanyou as he started running toward the riverbank, holding Sesshomarus legs securely.

* * *

"No!" Sesshomaru held tightly to Inuyasha's hair and tightened his legs around Inuyasha's neck. "My kimono will get dirty!"

* * *

"It's just water," Inuyasha said as he got ready to throw the youkai in.

* * *

Sesshomaru winced and stuck his face into Inuyasha's hair, bracing himself.

* * *

"Hey..." Inuyasha frowned at the grip on his hair as he stepped away from the water, looking back and trying to see the youkai's face. "I was just messin' around... Ya okay?"

* * *

"I am _not_ afraid of swimming," blurted Sesshomaru, his voice muffled by Inuyasha's thick hair.

* * *

"Never said ya were. I ain't gonna throw ya in... You can let go," Inuyasha said gently. "Want me to put you down?"

* * *

Sesshomaru peeked an eye out of Inuyasha's hair and loosened his grip. He knew he was being a child. And he had gotten scared too. But Inuyasha didn't seem to mind. Inuyasha was just...kind. "Can I stay up here a little longer?" Sesshomaru asked the question quietly.

* * *

"'Course ya can," answered the hanyou with a smile. "Just lemme know when ya want down," Inuyasha patted one of the youkai's legs and started to wander aimlessly, near the tree line, toward the riverbank, back and forth. The place looked pretty similar to how it did back in his own time. The familiarity was nice.

* * *

Nodding against Inuyasha's head, Sesshomaru sighed lightly to himself and touched one of Inuyasha's ears. It flicked against his hand, making the youkai chuckle a little. He liked this. Inuyasha hadn't scolded him at all for acting this way. Sesshomaru liked to imagine his older brother would be like this if he had one. An older brother would play with him and protect him and let Sesshomaru ride on his shoulders. Sesshomaru petted Inuyasha's ear contentedly. "Your ears are weird."

* * *

"Heh, ya like them." Inuyasha stated with a roll of his shoulders as he purposefully jostled the youkai. "I'm just glad ya aren't yankin' on 'em."

* * *

"If you keep moving like that I might," threatened Sesshomaru with a smirk.

* * *

"Tch, I might just tickle ya again then."

* * *

"Hmph." Sesshomaru folded his arms on top of Inuyasha's head and rested his chin. "It is a truce then."

* * *

Inuyasha smiled. "Sounds good to me."

* * *

"Put me down now. I am hungry."

* * *

"Keh." The hanyou crouched and helped his brother down before poking Sesshomaru's cheek. "Use your manners, would ya?"

* * *

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes and swatted Inuyasha's hand away before running towards the edge of a shallow part of the river. After rolling up the legs of his hakama and the sleeves of his kimono as far as they would go, Sesshomaru waded in.

* * *

Following after his brother, Inuyasha figured it easier to shuck off his haori and leave it in the bank. He rolled up his hakama as well, before following the youkai into the river and splashing water his way with a smirk.

* * *

With a growl, Sesshomaru picked up a river stone and threw it in Inuyasha's general direction. "Get away! You will scare the fish. You have to be still and let them come to you."

* * *

"I've hunted more than you, I know how it works, ya little ass." Inuyasha smiled at the youkai though and backed off, content to watch his brother.

* * *

Deciding he would ignore Inuyasha's comment, Sesshomaru stood in the water, watching and waiting for the silt to clear so he could see if any fish swam in front of him. After a few minutes, he grew annoyed that Inuyasha was just watching him. Never straying from the palace grounds where there were other children, he did not often have someone to talk to-unless he was brought somewhere to do something that had nothing to do with fun and did not allow for much conversation. And the servants as well were all the same-respectful but firm. "Inuyasha?"

* * *

"Hm?" The hanyou glanced between the smoothed river rocks he was searching through and Sesshomaru.

* * *

"Do you have any stories?"

* * *

Inuyasha made a thoughtful noise and reached into the water to pluck out a flat, oblong stone. "Yeah, I do. What kind a stories ya like?"

* * *

Sesshomaru grinned. He would actually get to hear a story. "Tales of...of triumph and...magic and..." The youkai's smile grew bashful and his voice lowered. "Pleasant endings."

* * *

"Ah, I got a good one then." Inuyasha nodded to himself and flung his rock forward, skipping it a few times. "It's about a youkai—he's strong and tough. And a hanyou—he's even better; good lookin' and all that." With a smile, the hanyou looked over at Sesshomaru. "The youkai didn't like the hanyou though so they fought every time they saw each other. They were both really good fighters though, so they both got wounded a lot. The hanyou more so though," Inuyasha grumbled, "'cause the youkai was pretty damn fast sometimes."

Inuyasha grinned and narrowed his eyes at the water, seeing the flit of a fish's fin. "And… Um," hesitating, the hanyou focused more on the prospective catch than his story. Sesshomaru said he was hungry, after all. It wasn't until he snatched the fish out of water and grinned at the youkai that he remembered he was in the middle of a story. "Here," he said, holding the fish out to his brother. "Ah, where was I?"

* * *

"Oh." Sesshomaru had almost forgotten that he was there to fish. "Good catch." Sesshomaru thanked Inuyasha and took the wriggling fish before making his way to the bank so he could sit and listen to the animal-eared youkai. "The hanyou gets injured a lot," he prompted. Sesshomaru was not sure what a hanyou was, but he decided he did not want to interrupt the story with a question. It must have been similar to a youkai if it stood any chance against a powerful one. Sesshomaru broke the head off his fish and took a large bite out of the soft meat, waiting with his eyes fixated on Inuyasha.

* * *

"Right, right." Nodding, Inuyasha followed after Sesshomaru though he remained standing in the water, searching for more skipping stones. "The hanyou wasn't gonna let the youkai win _every_ time though. So, he finally got angry—really angry, because the youkai was trying to hurt one of his friends—and the hanyou attacked the youkai." Pausing for dramatic effect, Inuyasha looked at the youkai with a small smile.

* * *

"And wham!" Inuyasha clapped his hands together, loudly. "Ya know what the hanyou did? He cut the youkai's arm clean off! You'd think the youkai woulda learned not to mess with him after that… But the youkai just got angrier and their fighting continued—it got worse even."

* * *

Sesshomaru gasped when he learned the youkai's arm was cut off. He could understand why the youkai was angry. "Did the youkai kill him?"

* * *

"Hah, yeah right. He sure wanted to, but he never did—he couldn't. The hanyou was just too good," Inuyahsa said smugly. "They fought tons still. But then… A spell was cast on them and the two had to get along or else they would have to live together. Forever. They sure as hell didn't want that. So, to break the spell, they had to fix a big mistake they made. They had to go and find the arm that the youkai lost."

* * *

"Ya know how they used to hate each other? Well, it took 'em awhile to find the youkai's arm though and… They ended up gettin' along. Crazy right?" Inuyasha nodded, laughing to himself a bit. "But, they also ended up findin' the youkai's arm and they got it put back on too. Ya know what happened next?"

* * *

Enthralled, Sesshomaru shook his head. He had no idea what would happen next. He had not known it was even possible to reattach an arm. And for two people who hate each other to become friends... How in the world could that happen? He would have thought it impossible.

* * *

"Well… They stopped hangin' out with each other, ya know, went back to their lives. And they didn't see each other for a long time." Inuyasha nodded and moved to sit beside Sesshomaru on the river bank. "They started to miss each other… And the youkai was getting' pretty upset; he started havin' these nightmares that made him transform into a giant beast and attack things while he slept. When the hanyou heard about it, he went lookin' for the youkai and tried to stop him. The youkai was pretty outta it though and he almost ate the hanyou in a single bite. The hanyou got him to snap out of it though. And then… Well, one thing lead to another, and they realized somethin'..." Grinning, Inuyasha's gaze slanted to the side. "They liked each other—a lot. They decided ta get mated."

* * *

"Mated?" Sesshomaru tossed his fish bones into the river and scooted closer to Inuyasha. "What does that mean?"

* * *

Shit. Right. He should have realized this Sesshomaru might be too young to know. Kami—he had to explain it to his brother now. "Uh, well… Your ma and old man are mated, I think. It's when… Ya know… When the two people love each other…" Sesshomaru probably wouldn't know what marriage was, that was more human than mating. "Being mated means you spend the rest of your life with whoever you're mated to."

* * *

"They loved each other..." Sesshomaru pushed a smooth stone around in the dirt, thinking. He had no idea if his parents were mated. He did not think they loved each other... They did not even seem to be friends. But they had lived together and ruled together for a long time. A mentor had told him so. "What do youkai who are mated...do?"

* * *

"Well… I guess it depends on the youkai. But, being mated… It's really great—if ya got a good mate." Inuyasha smiled, thinking about the brother he'd be going home to. He wondered what that Sesshomaru would think of this adventure. He was sure it would be amusing to find out. "I got a good one," he murmured. "We hunt together and play and whatnot."

* * *

"Really?" Sesshomaru smiled, intrigued by the idea of being mated. It seemed like an overall happy thing. Inuyasha had one—and so did the youkai and hanyou in the story. The youkai and the hanyou hated each other at first. But eventually they grew to love each other. Maybe the same thing would happen to his parents. "What is she like?"

* * *

Inuyasha chuckled. He couldn't help it. With a smile, he reached over and ruffled Sesshomaru's hair. "It's not a she."

* * *

"Oh." He scrunched up his face when Inuyasha ruffled his hair. Why did he keep doing that? The action actually did not bother Sesshomaru when he thought about it though. The gesture was...friendly. "What is _he_ like then?" Inuyasha was like the youkai in the story. He loved another male.

* * *

"He's… Well, he's quiet, so it's hard to tell what he's thinking sometimes. But, with the mating bond, it's easy to figure it out. He's strong. Oh, he's a lord—a pretty good one too. Good with a sword. He's nice too, most of the time." Smiling, the hanyou leaned over to bump Sesshomaru's shoulder. "You remind me of him."

* * *

Sesshomaru grinned. He reminded Inuyasha of someone like that? He liked the idea. The youkai leaned forward and grabbed the ends of his feet, still smiling. "You got a pleasant ending too."

* * *

"Yeah," the hanyou smiled. "I did. And I bet you will too."

* * *

"Yeah..." He hoped so. Sesshomaru was about to ask Inuyasha about something else when a voice hit his ears. The voice called his name. The voice was his mother's.

Sesshomaru bolted upright and scrambled to straighten out and wipe off his clothing. "I have to go. Go back to my room and stay there. Okay? Do not be seen." If his mother found out about Inuyasha and what they had been doing she would probably force Inuyasha to leave, at the very best.

* * *

Inuyasha frowned, but the frantic way Sesshomaru was looking back toward the palace had him nodding. He was worried, but he'd learned his brother could handle himself, so he just agreed. "Yeah, okay. Jus' go, I'll wait for you."

* * *

Sesshomaru nodded. "I will return there after." Without waiting for another response from Inuyasha, Sesshomaru turned on his heal and ran back to the palace as quickly as his feet would carry him. He found his mother in the garden. There was no one else-just her. And the sun had already begun to set. He had been with Inuyasha all day.

Swallowing, Sesshomaru stopped in front of her, avoiding her eyes.

"Sesshomaru," she said. "Where is it you have been?"

Her voice was even and calm, impossible to read. "I was wandering the grounds... Practicing what you taught me."

"Were you? Show me."

Sesshomaru demonstrated his most recently learned maneuver for his mother. When he was finished, he clasped his hands and chanced a look at her eyes. A feeling of relief washed over him when he realized she was satisfied with his demonstration. He smiled up at her when she stepped forward and extended her hand to pat him on the shoulder. That was, until her hand was quickly withdrawn and her previously calm eyes grew cold and narrow.

"You have lied to me."

Sesshomaru's eyes widened but he did not dare to step back. "Wh-what?"

"Disgusting. It is disgusting." She wiped her hand with a cloth even though she had not quite touched him. "You smell of human."

_Human?_ "What? No—"

"Sesshomaru."

The young youkai quickly shut his mouth and looked at his feet, his heart beating hard against his chest. He did not understand. Why did his mother think he smelled like a human? "Please, Mother." He spoke quietly though he knew he shouldn't be speaking at all. "I do not know what you're talking about..."

The air crackled with power and her voice grew raw. "I forbade you to ever interact with humans."

Sesshomaru clenched his fists, a sick feeling swelling in his gut. He knew what was to come.

"On top of that, you lied to me. I will teach you never to lie to me again."

* * *

Inuyasha waited in the youkai's room, just as he'd been told. He'd gotten there without being seen. Sesshomaru was taking longer than he'd thought the little youkai would though… He didn't know why his brother had gotten called away or why he'd seemed so frightened. Inuyasha hoped it was nothing—but he also hoped that Sesshomaru got back soon. He wasn't sure exactly how much time he had left…

He was getting hungry though and it was dark. The hanyou knew the walls in the palace were pretty soundproofed, but that didn't stop the traveling voices-_voice_ that he could just vaguely hear. Besides that though, there was no outside stimulus. Nothing to stave off his boredom. So, to distract himself from his rumbling stomach, Inuyasha started a fire and pulled the chair he'd found Sesshomaru in this morning over so he could sit. And wait some more.

* * *

Sesshomaru opened the door to his chambers slowly and limped inside, immediately shutting the door behind himself. He could taste blood in his mouth. Without the courage to examine the full extent of the damage done, Sesshomaru glanced around the room tiredly and was glad to catch sight of a roaring fire. Silently, the youkai limped over and sat down on the floor in front of it, his mind numb.

* * *

"Hey—" Inuyasha stopped, frowning as he watched his brother limp in. He was on his feet by the time Sesshomaru was sitting. Hardly a second later, he was on his knees in front of the youkai, gently cupping Sesshomaru's face. "Hey," thumb running over the youkai's cheek, the hanyou searched his blank face. "Sesshomaru, what happened?"

* * *

The youkai flinched at the sudden touch and raised his eyes to Inuyasha's, realizing he had nothing more to fear at the moment. He took a quivering breath and allowed himself to relax. "...She did not believe me." Sesshomaru's voice cracked. He'd known he would no longer be able to be strong the moment he spoke. Tears began to leak out as a broken sob escaped him.

* * *

"Hey, hey—shh, its okay," Inuyasha's gaze softened and he pulled the youkai to him, trying to be gentle as he enveloped him in a hug before pulling Sesshomaru into his lap. He rocked slowly, breathing soft reassurances into the hair he stroked. To see his brother like this… His chest ached.

* * *

"I've never even spoken to a human, I...I _promise_," Sesshomaru cried into Inuyasha's chest as he was enveloped. His hands clutched at large, warm robes and his nose took in the scent of the one who held him. No one was ever there to hold him.

* * *

After a moment of confusion, Inuyasha puzzled it out. "Oh—I'm sorry, Sesshomaru, I'm so sorry." He held his brother tighter, burying his face against the youkai's hair. It was his fault this happened—he was hanyou and whoever did this to Sesshomaru could smell his human blood. Whoever it—_she—_was hadn't wanted the youkai around humans. Sesshomaru had inadvertently disobeyed. "…Who was it?" The hanyou could guess, but… He wanted to be sure.

* * *

"M-mother," whimpered Sesshomaru, fresh tears still falling. "She didn't believe me..."

* * *

Nodding silently, Inuyasha scooped his brother up and held him close as he paced in front of the fire for a few long moments. He held Sesshomaru's head to his shoulder, unintentionally rocking the youkai in an attempt to sooth him. "I'm sorry," he murmured again, several times over.

* * *

Face buried in Inuyasha, Sesshomaru stayed quiet for a while, his breath hitching wetly beyond his control until his tears dried and his breathing evened out. He was slowly calmed by the steady motion and the knowledge that he was still being held against a warm body. Sniffling, Sesshomaru wrapped his arms around Inuyasha's neck. "Thank you..."

* * *

Inuyasha wished he could say 'anytime,' that he'd be there for his brother. But he couldn't… He couldn't be there for this Sesshomaru. Kami, he wanted to be though. Instead, the hanyou settled for a small nod. "Of course… Do you… Well, do you want to tell me what happened? You don't have to," he added quickly, pulling back a little as he tried to get a glimpse at Sesshomaru's face.

* * *

Sesshomaru shook his head and clutched a lock of Inuyasha's hair. "No..." His bottom lip quivered some. "Are you going to leave soon?" He was afraid to ask. But Sesshomaru knew it was about time for bed. And Inuyasha had only come for a visit.

* * *

"That's okay," Inuyasha said, hoping to placate his brother. He wasn't going to push for details. "And I will stay as long as I can, okay? I… I'll be gone by morning though." He knew that much for sure. He hoped he'd have enough time to comfort Sesshomaru though, maybe even get him to sleep.

* * *

"I understand..." At least Inuyasha did not have to go just yet. Sesshomaru wiped his face on his sleeve, hissing a little when the action hurt. His sleeve fell down his arm, revealing the marks on his wrist. They were from his mother's whip of light.

* * *

"Yeah, okay. Here," said Inuyasha upon seeing the youkai's wrist. A moment later he was gently setting Sesshomaru down on his bed and kneeling in front of him. After glancing around, his gaze settled back on his brother. "I can patch ya up, you got anything I can use?"

* * *

Staring down at his wrist, Sesshomaru shrugged. He had never gone to anyone to be bandaged or healed. Whenever he was wounded he always healed quickly on his own after a night of bearing whatever pain he had been caused. More serious wounds would cost him three days. But that was rare.

* * *

Turning his gaze back to Inuyasha, Sesshomaru remembered something he had once read—something about a child who had fallen down and been hurt. What was it the child's father had done to make it feel better? After another glance at his wrist, Sesshomaru held it out to Inuyasha. "Will you kiss it?"

* * *

As much as he wanted to clean and bandage the wounds, Inuyasha knew his brother could heal well enough and the request was too… Innocent to deny. So he nodded and took hold of the youkai's arm, gently bringing it to his mouth so he could place a barely-there kiss to the injured skin. "…That okay?" He asked hesitantly.

* * *

Giving Inuyasha a soft smile, Sesshomaru nodded. He almost couldn't believe Inuyasha had actually done what he'd asked. But Inuyasha had. The youkai patted the bed next to him so Inuyasha would sit. "I liked your story today."

* * *

Inuyasha took the offered seat with a smile and immediately wrapped his arm around his brother. He didn't want to not touch the youkai right now. He had to make sure Sesshomaru was okay. "I'm glad," he said. If only the little youkai knew…

* * *

Relieved at the continued contact, Sesshomaru drew his legs up onto the bed and curled into Inuyasha's side. "Is it a true story?"

* * *

"Yeah," Inuyasha murmured into the youkai's hair. "Most of it was."

* * *

"Most of it?" That phrasing worried Sesshomaru. He hoped the good parts were true...

* * *

Humming quietly, Inuyasha absently rubbed the youkai's arm and smiled. "Yeah, the hanyou was a lot cooler than I said."

* * *

Sesshomaru chuckled softly and closed his eyes, his nose unconsciously roaming and sniffing at Inuyasha's robes in his contentedness. Inuyasha was amusing and he smelled warm and unthreatening. Sesshomaru liked him. "You know the hanyou?"

* * *

"I do."

* * *

"Wow... You are fortunate."

* * *

"Yeah" Inuyasha smiled before patting Sesshomaru's shoulder and straightening up some. "Whatdya say we get you settled for bed? We can still talk, but it might be more comfortable for you to be layin' down."

* * *

Sesshomaru grabbed the front of Inuyasha's robes and raised his head. "Will you lay down too?" Even in this exhausted state, Sesshomaru knew it was wrong to be so trusting of someone he'd just met. But for reasons unknown to him, he was unable to sense a single bit of ill intent. Maybe it had been so long since he'd been treated this way by anyone, he was blinded by his desire for it. He saw safety and kindness in Inuyasha, nothing more. He could not bring himself to care about whether his thoughts were naïve.

* * *

"'Course I will." Inuyasha smiled and stroked the youkai's hair, glad his brother had asked.

* * *

With a small smile, Sesshomaru nodded and hopped off the bed so he could pull back the blankets. "You get in first." Sesshomaru was suddenly very giddy. It was as though he had invited someone over to spend the night with him. He was pretty sure that was what normal children did.

* * *

"Okay." Smiling, Inuyasha did as he was told and scooted to an edge of the bed so his brother had plenty of room. Then he held the blankets up and waited for Sesshomaru to crawl in with him. "C'mon."

* * *

Sesshomaru happily got into bed and scooted all the way forward until his face was in Inuyasha's chest again. "Father used to lay with me like this sometimes," said the youkai with a satisfied and tired hum.

* * *

"Yeah?" Inuyasha pulled the blankets up and wrapped his arm around his brother. "Not anymore, hm?"

* * *

"He is...busier." Sesshomaru shrugged. "And Mother says I am too old for this kind of thing now..." Unable to stop himself, Sesshomaru nuzzled his face against Inuyasha tiredly. Everything was just so warm. And that scent... "You smell like him. A little."

* * *

Inuyasha said nothing for a few moments, instead, he stroked Sesshomaru's hair and held the youkai close. "My mama did this almost every night..." He said eventually. "You're never too old, okay?"

* * *

"Okay..." Sesshomaru was glad when Inuyasha hugged him tighter. "I do not want to stop laying like this. I was upset when she said I am too old... You are lucky, Inuyasha." The young youkai yawned and shut his eyes.

* * *

"You're lucky too," Inuyasha murmured, unable to stop himself from kissing his brother's forehead. He hated knowing what had happened and being relatively unable to do anything about it. At least he'd comforted the youkai...

* * *

Sesshomaru opened his eyes briefly, surprised by that particular act of affection. He hadn't asked for such a thing. But Sesshomaru quickly decided it was welcomed and closed his eyes again. "You are right. I will be a strong youkai. Other youkai will respect me as they do my father and mother."

* * *

"Yeah, they will. Maybe even more so." Nuzzling his nose into Sesshomaru's hair, Inuyasha exhaled a small sigh and used his claws to sift through the youkai's hair in order to gently scratch along his brother's scalp. He focused more on the back of Sesshomaru's head and his neck, knowing that was what the Sesshomaru from his own time liked.

* * *

"Mm... That feels nice." Sesshomaru could feel sleep beginning to clutch at his mind. "Even now... Do you have someone to do this to you?"

* * *

"Mm... My mate." Inuyasha spoke quietly and closed his eyes. "He likes it when I do this. Sometimes he does it to me too."

* * *

"I hope mine will do the same..." Surely, Sesshomaru would get to be mated too, one day.

* * *

"I'm sure he—she, _they_ will," Inuyasha said, shaking his head at his slip up.

* * *

Sesshomaru nodded and yawned again, finding it difficult to hold onto consciousness. "So... Come back soon... Okay?"

* * *

"I'll... I'll try," Inuyasha wished he could promise it though.

* * *

"Can't wait," mumbled Sesshomaru before the hand gripping Inuyasha's robes slackened and sleep claimed him.

* * *

Inuyasha sighed and continued his ministrations, holding Sesshomaru close as though it would guarantee he could return. He wasn't sure how much time passed-a few hours or a few minutes-before the hanyou realized he was on he and Sesshomaru's bed, petting empty air.

Inuyasha sat up quickly, glancing around the empty room-Sesshomaru had better gotten his ass home. He needed... Inuyasha wasn't sure, he just wanted to make sure his mate was okay. Without further hesitation, the hanyou went in search of his brother.

* * *

When the trees thinned and his palace was in full view, Sesshomaru heaved a sigh of relief. The trip was supposed to take him three days but he had made it back in a day and a half. Having to leave his mate alone at the palace often had that effect on Sesshomaru.

Instead of going inside through the front door, Sesshomaru walked around to the west wing of the palace and leapt up onto his balcony. It was still fairly early in the morning. Surely his mate would still be asleep. Sesshomaru trod quietly into their room, but he soon noticed the empty bed. "Inuyasha?" Perhaps Inuyasha had gone to relieve himself. Feeling tired, Sesshomaru removed his armor and set it down in the chair beside the fireplace. His boots and pelt were also removed and set aside before the allure of his bed got the best of him. Without a second thought, Sesshomaru claimed Inuyasha's side of the bed.

* * *

After searching the entire damn palace and having no luck finding Sesshomaru, the hanyou finally caught the youkai's scent as he was returning to their room. Sighing in relief, Inuyasha pushed the door open and quickly moved to his mate's side. No way in hell was he going to let the bastard sleep. Grabbing the lord's face, Inuyasha kissed him, not taking the care to wake him slowly.

* * *

Heavy eyes opening, a smile spread across the youkai's apparently occupied lips. "Mm..." Sesshomaru wrapped his arms around his mate and effortlessly pulled Inuyasha on top of him, returning his mate's kiss with fervor. "Inuyasha," said Sesshomaru softly between kisses, "I was only gone for little more than a day." Though his words could have suggested otherwise, Sesshomaru knew he had missed Inuyasha just as much.

* * *

"You stupid bastard," Inuyasha muttered before slumping onto the youkai and dipping his face into Sesshomaru's neck. He clutched his mate's kimono, unable to help asking, "... Are you okay?"

* * *

"Why would I be otherwise?" Sesshomaru stroked Inuyasha's hair and frowned lightly before lifting Inuyasha's face a bit and kissing the top of his head. "I am home."

* * *

"I know, but..." Inuyasha closed his eyes, unsure. Was it a good idea to tell Sesshomaru what he'd seen? He'd managed to keep it all a secret since he'd planned the whole thing. And he'd seen so much more than he ever could have imagined...

When he opened his eyes again, he found Sesshomaru's calm, wonderful gaze staring back at him, searching. Inuyasha's brow furrowed and a blasted wet sting crept into his eyes. Blinking it away, he remembered the eyes of the young Sesshomaru of so many years ago, knowing he would never understand how Sesshomaru could be this…this warm after all of that. Sure, the bastard had been cruel and twisted in the past. But looking at his mate now, Inuyasha hardly ever recalled those times. Despite everything, Sesshomaru had found the ability to _care_ about people again. Inuyasha decided then that he could never tell Sesshomaru what he had seen. If there was even a chance that the pain he'd seen during his day in the past would return to Sesshomaru's eyes, he would take his knowledge to the grave.

Shaking his head, Inuyasha cleared the lump out of his throat. He slid a clawed hand underneath Sesshomaru's neck and leaned further against his mate to press their foreheads together.

* * *

Sesshomaru's lips parted, a curios feeling curling in his gut. He could not fathom why his brother was behaving so strangely. "Inuyasha…"

* * *

"Just…" Inuyasha's voice was soft. "Shut up for a minute, okay?"

* * *

The youkai raised a brow but patiently obeyed.

* * *

After breathing deeply the scent of his whole, healthy mate, Inuyasha tenderly touched his lips to Sesshomaru's cheeks and to his parted upper lip, earning a short, affectionate lick from the youkai beneath him.

* * *

"Sesshomaru, I love you," he confessed suddenly with a mustered intensity. Inuyasha knew he never really said it out loud. Neither of them did. It was always just implied, and they were both content with that. But in that moment, it needed to be said. "I love you so damned much. You're amazing and strong and don't you fucking forget that. Not ever."

* * *

Sesshomaru's breath hitched minutely and his fingers curled into the back of Inuyasha's robes. His heart rate rose with an unwelcome touch of fear. "Inuyasha, what is this? You are not going somewhere…are you?"

* * *

Inuyasha's eyes widened. "What?" He realized with horror that his words must have been sounding like some kind of goodbye to Sesshomaru. "Oh fuck, no! Shit." Inuyasha showered the surprised youkai's face with short apologetic kisses and stroked his thumb over the frantic pulse in Sesshomaru's neck. "If you think I'm going anywhere, you're insane. You're stuck with me for good."

* * *

Releasing a relieved breath, Sesshomaru drew one of Inuyasha's hands away from his face and held it tightly against his chest. "I do not know what has brought these declarations to your mind," began the youkai slowly. "However, I will ask no explanation of you. I will merely say what must be said."

* * *

Inuyasha nodded and chewed at his lip.

* * *

"I confess I am unsure, Inuyasha, of whether or not you will ever understand just how deeply my bond with you has altered, influenced, and held fast my entire being. Without you, I am not whole. And with you, I am everything I never was before. The word 'love' can hardly begin to express this."

* * *

"You're wrong." Inuyasha smiled and squeezed his mate's hand. "You were all this and more way before me, stupid bastard. I just, you know, slapped you around until you could find it all again."

* * *

Sesshomaru blinked incredulously before taking the smirking hanyou fully into his long arms. He kissed him deeply then, the unlikely one who'd managed to become his entire world. This kiss was not driven by lust, or by hidden regrets of the past, or even by the distinct pull of their mating bond. This kiss was about the future. It was about all the moments like this one they would have yet to share. It was also about discarding any further doubt in the bond they had once both had the heart to destroy.

The youkai's lips broke softly from Inuyasha's and wandered along Inuyasha's neck and shoulder until he felt the lightly scarred flesh of the second mating mark he had bestowed upon Inuyasha. Sesshomaru kissed the area tenderly, lacking the intent to arouse Inuyasha in this moment.

* * *

Inuyasha shivered, thoroughly enjoying the blissful effects of his mate's touches to that particular area. "Ain't you gonna get on me about bein' all sentimental?" asked Inuyasha breathlessly.

* * *

Sesshomaru sniffed with slight amusement and pulled his head back a bit to see Inuyasha's face. Inuyasha knew full well Sesshomaru was being just as sentimental as he was in this moment, if not more so. "No." Sesshomaru brushed ashen hair away from glazed golden eyes and stroked a soft, heated cheek. "I am going to lie here while I touch and admire you just so, as I always will during moments such as this one, late at night before sleep takes us, in the early morning sun before we must rise to greet the day, and during any moment at all where I feel my mate may need me—or when I am the one to need my mate. And after hundreds of years of being here at my side…perhaps then, and only then, will you be able to understand exactly what you mean to me."

And that was the truest thing Sesshomaru could ever say to Inuyasha. Of course, they both knew their moments would not always be this way. They were a hanyou and a daiyoukai and the world did not hold them at an extreme advantage. But whatever their challenges, they would always be able to face them as a mated pair and as the closest friends they should have always been. They would be all right.

* * *

Hello, my lovely readers! :) This story was partially written a little while ago by me and someone else. As usual, I have done all of the Sesshomaru parts. It was written up to the point where Inuyasha popped back to the present, and then I just recently finished the rest of it by myself. I enjoyed this oneshot and felt that it should be posted. It has slight elements of stuff that happened in Licentious Obsession for those of you who know what that is. Also, if any of you read Licentious Obsession, please refer to my main page.

Thank you guys, I hope you enjoyed this story! I would really appreciate a nice review! School is slightly stressful at the moment. I love you all and happy reading!


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